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As expected the delegates to the 2013 conference of the Southern Baptist Convention this week voted to approve a resolution expressing opposition and disappointment in the recent decision of the Boy Scouts to change its membership policy to allow homosexual members. From the Baptist Press:

HOUSTON (BP) — Southern Baptists expressed their "opposition to and disappointment in" the membership policy of the Boy Scouts of America but affirmed the freedom of local churches to determine their own relationships with the national Scouting organization.

The action came in a resolution drafted by the convention’s Resolutions Committee and approved by messengers June 12 during the SBC’s annual meeting in Houston. Southern Baptists have tracked the BSA membership controversy closely in recent months, as many churches either sponsor or are affiliated with local Scouting troops.

Response: The conference left it up to the individual congregations in the SBC to decide for themselves whether to continue sponsoring Scout troops or whether to leave the organization. The delegates (messengers) did make it plain that they opposed the recent change to allow homosexual members but also wanted to encourage congregations that did end up quitting the Boy Scouts to continue their ministry to boys none the less.

In final analysis, the SBC conference ended up sending mixed messages over what the best course of action toward continuing membership in the Boy Scouts organization. Some Baptist congregations have already expressed their intent to leave the Boy Scouts with an eye towards forming a new organization to minister to boys. Others like those who are part of the Association of Baptists for Scouting are encouraging Baptist churches to stay involved with the Boy Scouts and maintain their influence in the local chapters. *Top

1 Response to -Baptists Pass Resolution Opposing Boy Scout Change

Baptists already have a group called “R.A.”s (“Royal Ambassadors”) for boys, and a parallel group “G.A.s” (Girls in Action) for girls. It would be hoped that these organizations could be expanded and reinvigorated to take up the slack for the Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts.

Under Baptist organizational structures, each local congregation is autonomous. Therefore, the Convention could not order any local congregation to sever ties with Boy Scouts. The only power the convention would have is to encourage and recommend that ties be severed, which is precisely what the convention did.